The Trouble with Open APIs
February 27, 2012
We’ve observed some push-back on the new trend to offer open APIs instead of full open source systems. Slashdot hosts the question, “Why Open APIs Fall Far Short of Open Source.”
Poster itwbennett takes issue with those who insist that open APIs provide enough openness. The write up informs us:
“Not so, says ITworld blogger Brian Proffitt. Sure, open APIs are an easy way for a small developer to ‘plug into a big software ecosystem,’ but it’s a trap. ‘If open APIs are the only connector to a software project, the destiny of that code lies solely in the hands of the owners,’ says Proffitt. ‘Which means that anyone connecting into the application will have to deal with the changes imposed from the top down.'”
That is a very good point. The ITWorld piece cited here goes on to note another disadvantage of open APIs: they lack the crucial open source communities that push applications to realize their full potential. That may be the biggest problem with open APIs.
Cynthia Murrell, February 27, 2012
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